Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier

The Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is a hybrid breed that combines two different parent breeds from the Terrier group; the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Scottish Terrier. Most likely, this hybrid was created for the independent and confident nature of the Scottie and the friendly, family oriented nature of the Smooth Fox Terrier. Terriers are notoriously stubborn and independent dogs, so having a breed that loves family while still being smart enough to take care of himself, is a very appealing idea. The Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is a small to medium sized dog (height up to 16" and weight of 22 lbs full grown), with a coat that can be either short or medium in length and available in many varieties of color. He is not a very vocal dog and paired with his well-balanced energy level, this breed can adjust quite well to living in an apartment setting as long as he can get out for exercise each day. Based on his parent breeds, the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is excellent with children, but tends to need supervision when playing with other dogs. He is an excellent companion for those who are looking for a smart and playful breed that doesn't require a lot of work to train well.

Purpose

Companion

Date of Origin

2000's

Ancestry

Smooth Fox Terrier and Scottish Terrier

Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier Health

Average Size

Height: 10-16 inchesWeight: 16-22 lbs

Height: 10-15 inchesWeight: 14-21 lbs

Major Concerns

Von Willebrand's Disease

Minor Concerns

Deafness

Cataracts

Glaucoma

Lens Luxation

Scotty Cramp

Cervical Vertebral Instability

Hemophilia

Craniomandibular Osteopathy (Lion Jaw)

Myasthenia Gravis

Atopy

Occasional Diagnoses

Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Pulmonic Stenosis

Occasional Tests

Dna For Pra

Eye Examinations

Blood Tests

Full Physical Examination

Hearing and Ear Tests

DNA for VWD

Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier Breed History

The Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier has a couple of parent breeds that possess very rich histories. As Terriers, both the Scottie and the Smooth Fox Terrier have existed for many years and are loved for a multitude of reasons. Because of this, we are able to get some idea as to why the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier hybrid came to be and what makes him unique. For instance, the Scottish Terrier may be just one of the many Terrier breeds that originate in Scotland and England, but what sets him apart is his interesting coat and rather moderate energy level. The Scottie was created for the purpose of hunting and killing vermin, and are especially good at digging holes quickly to get to these creatures with ease. John Naylor brought the Scottie over to the United States in 1883 where he began to show the breed and it didn't take long at all for the American Kennel Club to register them in 1884. Ever since then, the Scottie has enjoyed playing his role of a showman and faithful companion dog to people all over the world. He is fairly popular thanks to his courageous, fearless, and sophisticated attitude; along with a fantastic beard and skirt combo that's hard to ignore. The Smooth Fox Terrier is a classic breed that has changed very little since their creation in the late 1700's. It is believed that this particular branch of Terrier most likely descended from the combination of Greyhounds, Bull Terriers, and Beagles; giving the Smooth Fox Terrier their pied coloring and agile bodies. While this breed has done everything from winning Best in Show to performing in the Circus as an entertainer, his original purpose was to ride in the saddle bag of hunters until the prize fox was run down; then the Smooth Fox Terrier would be released to finish the job and bring the fox back. The American Fox Terrier Club was created in 1885 and the Smooth Fox Terrier actually became one of the first speciality breeds that were part of the American Kennel Club at the time. While he isn't quite as popular anymore, and definitely not as much as his cousin the Wire Fox Terrier, the Smooth Fox Terrier is still a favorite of shows and families everywhere.

Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier Breed Appearance

Both the Scottish Terrier and the Smooth Fox Terrier are small to medium sized dogs and have the typical Terrier body type; low to the ground with sharp body lines, triangular ears, a long muzzle ending in black nose, and round, intelligent eyes. All of these traits will carry over to the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier in some way. His hair can be either short or medium in length, depending on which parent breed's genes come through most, and can be seen in a number of different colors; the most common being brindle, black, and pied. Longer haired versions will most likely have the beard details that the Scottie has, while the shorter haired version will be missing that trademark feathering, but will be easier to maintain. The tail is always long and tends to be held erect when excited or alert. Overall, the look of the Smooth Sottish Fox Terrier is one of elegance, grace, and a sense of playful quirkiness.

Eye Color Possibilities

Brown

Nose Color Possibilities

Black

Coat Color Possibilities

Pied

Brindle

White

Black

Coat Length

ShortMediumLong

Coat Density

SparseNormalDense

Coat Texture

StraightWiryWavyCurlyCorded

Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier Breed Maintenance

Depending on the hair type of your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier, he is either a low to moderate maintenance breed. If you have the short haired version, all you need to do is brush a couple of times a month with a slicker brush and trim his nails to keep the paws healthy. For the longer haired version, grooming can get a bit more complicated. A more sophisticated and clean look will require professional grooming or skill with a clipper at home. The Scottie has a classic beard and skirt cut that people everywhere love, and if your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier takes after this coat type, you may want to have a similar look. Otherwise, the hair can be kept long all over for a more casual and natural appearance. This type of fur needs to be brushed weekly with a pin brush and trimmed with scissors if it gets too long around the paws. Trimming the nails is also suggested a couple times a month. Bathing, for both fur types, is only needed when especially dirty as the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier will not inherit a bad doggy smell from either parent breed.

Brushes for Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier

Pin Brush

Slicker Brush

Clipper

Nail Clipper

Brushing Frequency

DailyWeeklyMonthly

Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier Temperament

The Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier tends to approach life with a very serious outlook, but he knows how to have fun too. With both of his parent breeds having very different personalities, the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier's personality an vary a lot. However, his typical temperament seems to be affectionate with a hint of aloofness, independent, playful, and very intelligent. He is a family oriented breed and enjoys time with his humans much more than the average Scottie does (he get's this from the Smooth Fox Terrier side). While he is a smaller breed and not very vocal, he will let you know if anything suspicious is happening and isn't afraid to protect you if things get crazy. This breed makes a great pet for those households with older children and perhaps one other pet. He is easy to train but does tend to have a stubborn streak, so the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier may be better suited for slightly more experienced dog owners.

Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier Activity Requirements

This breed is a moderately active dog. Due to the fact that the Scottie is lower energy than the average Terrier (perfectly happy to lounge around the house) while the Smooth Fox Terrier is more active, the Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is going to need both mental and physical exercise for around a couple hours a day. Some great ways to tire out your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier may be a long walk or a jog, with a quick play time around the yard or a park. Training will be a great way to tire out your dog mentally and spend some time bonding as the Terrier breeds are very intelligent and catch on quickly to what you attempt to teach them.